Leveling device



Oct. 6, 1931. H. s. BENJAMIN LEVELING DEVICE Filed Oct. 31, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ATTORNEY 1931- H s. BENJAMIN 325.8 8

LEVELING DEVI CE Filed Oct. 31," 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR k -:5 \QUYKCLTL BY l 1 l I 1/ ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 6, 1931 i i I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HARRY S. BENJAMIN, F UTICA, NEW YORK LEVELING DEVICE Application filed October 31, 1929. Serial No. 403,725.

This invention relates to supporting and in the base and all constructed and arranged leveling means for devices equipped with in the usual manner and therefore not shown. supporting wheels, which means is especially At the front and rear ends of the base, transadapted for use upon weighing scales and the verse axlesi are mounted in suitable bearlike where it is quite essential that the device ings 5 projecting inwardly from the end 55 be supported in a level position. An object walls of the base, and upon each end of each of the present invention is to provide a conaXle is secured a ground or supporting wheel struction and arrangement whereby by the 6 for supporting the machine so that it may A operation of a single lever the machine may be readily moved about upon the floor or be brought to a firm footing and locked in ground. 60 that position, and whereby the necessary ad- It is essential that machines, such as weighjustments for leveling the machine may be ing scales, be supported for use, in a level quickly made and will be maintained. It is position so that the weighing mechanism will also an object to guard against movement of function properly, and therefore means has the machine upon its supporting wheels by been provided for leveling the machine and 5;, automatically locking certain of said wheels supporting it rigidly in a level position for as others are displaced by rigid supports, and use, said means comprising a semi-tubular to provide simple and efficient operating member 7 sleeved upon the front axle 4 to A mechanism which is concealed within the base rotate freely thereon and formed adjacent of the machine with the operating lever each end with a laterally extending stud 8 70 thereof protected against unauthorized mawhich is bored out and internally screwnipulation. threaded to receive a screw 9 having a head With the above and other ends in view, the 10. By rotating the sleeve 7, the head 10 is invention resides in the several matters herebrought into contact with the floor, and furinafter set forth and more particularly tllG]? rotation will lift the forward end of 7i pointed out in the appended claims, referthe base 1 and raise the forward. wheels 6 ence being had to the accompanying drawfrom the floor, thus leveling the base in a ings in whichlongitudinal direction, these rigid legs pros Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section 'vided bysaid studs and screws, rigidly supthrough the base ofaweighing scale to which porting the forward end of said base and a mechanism illustrative of an embodiment of tending by their engagement with the floor, the present invention is applied; to prevent movement of the machine from the Fig. 2 is an inverted plan View of Figure position in which it is set on the floor.

., M 1; Should the base not be level in a transverse Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail of a portion of direction, this may be readily corrected by as the forward end of the base of the machine turning either of the screws 9 into or out of and showing parts in section; and I its socket in its stud 8 thereby, in effect, short- Fig. 4 is a similar detail of a rear end ening or lengthening that particular leg, and

i portion of the machine showing means for if it is found that both legs are too long or 40 looking the rear supporting Wheels against too short to level the base longitudinally, this as turning. may be corrected by turning both screws into As illustrated in the drawings, 1 indicates or out of their sockets. the usual base of a platform weighing scale To turn the semisleeve 7 on the front axle upon the rear end portion of'which is secured and bring the legs carried thereby into enthe usual hollow pedestal 'or upright column gagement with the floor, an arm 11 is formed 90' 2 forming the usual support for the usual integral with said sleeve intermediate its dial and weight operated indicating mechaends, and pivotally attached at one end to nism (not shown). Over the opening 3 in this arm 11, is an operating bar 12 which exthe top ofthe base, is supported the usual tends longitudinally of the base toward the platform upon'lever mechanism housed withrear axle 4, said bar being provided at its 12;:

rear end with an extension 13 provided with a longitudinal slot 14 through which said rear axle extends, this bar being thus supported at its rear end on the rear axle and :tree to move longitudinally as the arm 11 swings with the turning of the sleeve 7. A lever 15 is pivotally supported intermediate its ends upon a bracket 16 at 17 with its lower end pivotally attached at 18 to the bar 12 and its upper or handle end extended upwardly within the pedestal 2 of the machine alongside a lixed guide bar 19 which is formed with lugs 20 and 21 to engage said handle and hold the same in the position to which it is moved with the sleeve 7 turned into the position shown and the legs swung upwardly away from the floor, as when the handle is engaged with the lug 21, or with the sleeve turned and the legs in supporting position, as when the handle is engaged with the lug 20. Therefore the legs are locked in inoperative position so that the machine may be freely moved about on the floor upon its wheels 6, or in operative position with the legs in contact with the floor and supporting the machine so that it can not be readily moved about. The handle portion of the lever 15 extends upwardly within the hollow pedestal 2 of the machine where it is concealed from view and where it can not be gotten at and operated by an unauthorized person, the pedestal of this class of machine being usually provided with a locked door (not shown) through which the handle is accessible by a person having a key to the door.

In order to prevent the machine from being moved about upon its rear wheels 6 when the legs on the front axle are swung downwardly by the operating handle 15, a lug 22 is formed 011 the extreme end of the extension 13 of the bar 12 to engage between the teeth of a cog wheel 23 secured upon the rear axle in such a. position that when said bar 12 is moved longitudinally by the lever 15 to swing the legs on the front axle down into operative position, said lug will engage said cog wheel and firmly lock the rear axle against turning, and as the rear wheels 6 are secured upon this axle, these wheels are thus locked against turning.

The legs on the front axle are thus swung into position to rigidly support the front end of the base, and the rear wheels which support the rear end of the base are simultaneously locked against turning. Therefore after the machine has been placed in the desired position, it may not be readily moved about without first operating the lever 15 to raise the legs and release the rear axle. Accurate leveling of the machine when sitting upon an uneven surface may be quickly accomplished by turning the screws 9 and thus in effect, lengthening or shortening either or both of the supporting legs.

Obviously, the mechanism embodying the present invention may be applied to any wheel supported device or machine and especially those in which it is essential or desirable that they be maintained level when in operation.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim is 1. The combination with a base member having supporting wheels, of auxiliary supporting members adapted to be brought into contact with the fioor and lift certain of said wheels therefrom to rigidly support said base icmber, and lover operated means for moving said auxiliary members into operative position, said auxiliary members being adjustable to eii'ect a leveling of said base.

2. The combination with a base member having supporting wheels adjacent each end thereof, of auxiliary supporting members pivotally attached to said base member adjacent one end thereof to swing downwardly into engagement with the floor to rigidly support said end of said base and raise said wheels at said end out of contact with the floor, and means within said base member for swinging said supporting members.

3. The combination with a base member having supporting wheels; of a rigid auxiliary support carried by said base member and comprising auxiliary supporting legs pivotally supported for swinging movement into and out of contact with the ground, and lover mechanism within the base for swinging said supporting legs.

4. The combination with a base member having supporting wheels; of a rigid auxiliary supporting member carried by said base member and movable into and out of contact with the ground, and lever mechanism for moving said auxiliary member into operative position and for locking certain of said supporting wheels against rotation.

5. The combination with a base member having supporting wheels, of a rigid auxil iary supporting member carried by said base member and movable into and out of contact with the ground, locking means operative to lock certain of said wheels against rotation, lever mechanism within said base for swinging said auxiliary member and simultaneously operating said locking means.

6. The combination with a hollow base and supporting wheels therefor one adjacent each corner of said base; of an auxiliary support pivotally attached to said base within the same to be swung downwardly into contact with the ground and lift said wheels at one end of the base out of contact with the ground and form a rigid support for that end of the base, means within the base for swinging said auxiliary support, and locking means operated by said swinging means for locking said wheels at the opposite end of said base against rotation.

7. The combination with a hollow base and supporting wheels therefor; of an auxiliary support movable upon the base therein to bring said auxiliary support into contact with the surface upon which the wheels are supported and lift certain of said wheels from said surface, and lever mechanism housed in said base for operating said auxiliary support and for locking certain of said wheels against rotation.

8. The combination with a hollow base and supporting wheels therefor; of legs pivotally connected to said base within the same to be swun downwardly into contact with the surface upon which the wheels are supported and lift certain of said wheels out of contact with said surface, means for adjusting said legs in length, and lever mechanism housed within said base for swinging said legs and for locking certain of said wheels against rotation.

9. The combination with a hollow base and upright pedestal of a weighing scale and supporting wheels for said base mounted upon transverse axles journalled in bearings upon said base; of rigid supporting legs mounted upon one of said axles to be swung thereon downwardly into contact with the ground, and lever mechanism in said base for so swinging said legs and including an operating lever extending upwardly into said pedestal and means for locking the wheels on the other axle against rotation simultaneously with the swinging of said legs.

10. The combination with the hollow base and upright pedestal thereon of a weighing scale and transverse axles at the front and rear of said base and provided with supporting wheels on the ends of said axles within said base; of a sleeve rotatable upon said front axle and formed with laterally extending members adjustable in length and forming supporting legs adapted to be brought into supporting position by a rotative movement of said sleeve, lever mechanism housed within said base for rotating said sleeve and including an operating handle extending upwardly within said pedestal,

and means operated by said lever mechanism for locking the rear axle and wheels against rotation.

11. The combination with the hollow base oi a weighing scale, an upright pedestal thereon and transverse axles at the front and rear ends of said base with supporting wheels secured to the ends of said axles within said base; of a sleeve rotatable upon said. front axle, said sleeve being formed with laterally extending internally screw threaded lugs, screw members engaged within said lugs and. having heads, said lugs and screw members together forming rigid legs adapted to support the base when turned into ongagement with the ground by the turning of said sleeve, a bar extending longitudinally of'the base and pivotally connected at one end to said sleeve to impart rotative move ment thereto upon longitudinal movement of the bar, said bar being formed at its opposite end with .a longitudinal slot through which the rear axle extends, a toothed wheel secured upon the rear axle adjacent said bar, a lug on the extension of the bar to engage the teeth of said wheel and lock the rear axle and its supporting wheels against rotative movement, an operating lever pivotally supported within the base with one end pivotally connected to said bar and its opposite end extending upwardly within said pedestal, and means to engage said operating lever and hold the same at either end of its movement, whereby said sleeve is locked against rotative movement with said legs in either operative or inoperative position.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

HARRY S. BENJAMIN. 

